Swami is seated in a white robe and I repeat as He speaks. God does not have either birth or death. He has no beginning or an end. He is known as the middle path - life. One who is neither born, one who can never be killed, that is the Lord who pervades everything in the Universe.

Embodiments of Divine Love. The formless God comes down to the level of His devotees, the human form, so that they can understand Him. It is very difficult for the human beings to understand the formless aspect of God. Down the ages God has been descending in the human form, many times in many forms with many names. First and foremost God put upon Himself three forms. God put upon himself these three forms in order to do functions. The first is Creation. The Second is Sustenance. The third is Destruction or Anhilation.

God became the creator Brahma when He did the function of creating the universe. The power of Brahma is Saraswathi. All forms of education, of knowledge and wisdom, take the form of Saraswathi.

The second function is the mangement of the universe. God manifests Himself as Vishnu while He does this act of management and His Divine consort is Lakshmi, which is the Divine power of sustenance. Another name for lakshmi is Maya. Wherever there is Vishnu there is the power of VishnuMaya.

When He does the function of anhilation He takes the form of Shiva, though He is formless. The three things that are creation, sustenance and anhilation, they are the three functional aspects of God. All these three are like departments - Creation Department, Management Department and Destruction Department. When you look at the world you find many kinds of buidings being built. We need to construct buildings, maintain them and finally when these buildings become delapidated we destroy them. That is how the whole universe is managed by creation, sustenance and anhilation. That is how God manifests Himself in three forms in order to do these three functions. Each department does not have only one head. The department will have secretaries, administrators and workers. Therefore, God has arranged for every department to have various ganas or angels, or Demi-Gods, to look after these departments. If you look at a municipal corporation you find various departments within like an electricity department, water department and public works department. Therefore, in this creation, we find various Gods like Varuna and Indra and others.

An incident happened when Shiva and Shakthi (Parvathi) where residing on the Kailasa Mountain. Shiva, all the time in order to do His function, was going around the world. Shakthi, being all alone at home, felt lonely and wanted some company. She created Ganapathi out of a paste while waiting for Shiva. In those days they did not have soaps or shampoos they had a special paste - a fragant paste made out of various herbs. Out of that paste Ganapathi was created. She utilised her own power and gave life into that form. Because the shape attained life it became the child of Parvathi. Thus, when Parvathi was playing with her child it so happened that Iswara came back home. When Iswara tried to enter the home this Ganapathi obstructed Him. There was a fight between the two. In this fight, finally, Shiva beheaded Ganapathi. Hearing the commotion she came outside and seeing what happened she started crying, "What a hineous job you have done! You have killed your own son !" When Parvathi was lamenting Iswara felt her pain and promised her that He would revive her son again. Even these days, when there is a fight between husband and wife, ultimately it is the husband that surrenders. Even Shiva could not escape this kind of exercise. Shiva told his servants, "If you find anyone sleeping with his head to the North cut it off ! Bring it here and I will transplant that head onto this body."

When went to Raipur, to attend a medical conference, there a Heart Surgeon said that the first transplantation took place in India. There are all kinds of transplanations taking place these days, maybe heart or kidney transplantation, but the most difficult is head transplantation. There are all kinds of nerves from the spinal cord to the brain making it difficult. Therefore, if you want to transplant a head today, with the brain, it is the most difficult job. Shiva has alot of experience with head transplant. When he first cut off the head of Prajapathi he put a goats head on that body. For Shiva its not a difficult job. By mere will of Iswara it happened.

Elders have advised youngsters that you should not sleep with your head towards the north. Why? There is an important reason. The earth is like a magnet. There is the north pole and south pole. When you lay down in the north south direction the body will act like a magnet. When you put your head, which is North, towards the North there is repulsion ! All of you know, if you study science, that North pole repels north pole and attracts south pole. Therefore, you should not keep your head to the North, when sleeping. Keep your head towards the south and sleep. When the servants went around looking for someone sleeping towards the North the first being they came across was a baby elephant. Iswara got the baby elephant, granted salvation to the baby, and put the elephant head on the Ganapathi. Ganesha became the elephant headed God.

Head is very important for any man. Depending on your head you get that kind of food. When you need to save somebody the first thing you do is bend your head. When you want to respect somebody you bend your head and offer respect. Ganapathi was like any ordinary boy when he had human head. When the head changed to the elephant head it consumed lots of food. That is the nature of the elephant. This Ganesha also consumed lots of food.

Sow a though repeat a tendency (action)Sow an action repeat a habitSow a habit repeat a characterSow a character repeat a destiny

Because of the elephantine thoughts that Ganesha entertained his stomach also became like an elephant. Thats is why Ganesha loves food very much. When you want to worship Ganesha you have to offer very delicious food like ladu and other things that He likes ! Once, He had eaten a lot of food and was not able to walk. Because He could not walk properly He fell down. Chandra saw that. The moon is a very beautiful God. If you look at anyone who is very beautiful you would say that their face is like the moon. Moon looking at the mere form of Ganesha, He laughed at Him. Ganesha got angry and gave a curse to the moon. According to mythology there was no waxing or waning of the moon. Due to the anger and the curse of Ganesha the moon started growing and diminishing. You are very arrogant about your beauty. From now onwards you will diminish in size and one day you will completely become extinct. The moon felt very repentant, he came down and fell at the feet of Ganesha and prayed for pardon. Ganesha said, "I cant withdraw the curse completely. Maybe I can decrease the adverse effect of the curse."

Once a word slips out of your mouth there is no way you can take it back. Therefore, if you want to speak something think 10 times before you utter the words. Repenting after speaking is not good. You should always have forethought and not repentance. That is called discrimination. Through discrimination you have to cultivate forethought and you should use and speak only the right kind of words at all times.

Ganesha told the Moon only for one day you will not be seen by anybody. Then you will grow and finally become full. Thus, you see either the moon is growing or diminishing in size. Also, Ganesha said that if anybody looks at the moon on the fourth day he will have adversity facing him. If you worship God, Ganesha, on the same day and put sacred rice on your head no curse will affect you. Even if you had, by chance, seen the moon on the 4th day, if you worship God and adore Ganesha then this curse will not affect you.

Scriptures also say that if you listen to the story of Shamanthakamani you will be excused from the ill effects of having looked at the moon on the 4th day of this particular month. Shamanthakamani was a very rare gem. King Satrajit did penance to please the Sun and the Sun God offered him this gem. The Shamanthaka also had the shine of the sun. What is more important is that this gem will give you 8 kilograms of Gold everyday. Suppose you keep receiving 8kg of gold everyday you will become very rich. Thus, Satrajit became very rich. That was the Dwapara age. There was a relationship between Satrajit and Krishna. When there was great difficulty in the kingdom Krishna told Satrajit, "Divine Grace has blessed you with so much of wealth. Now people are in so much distress you should share your wealth with everybody in the Kingdom." Satrajit thought that Krishna wanted to steal the Shamanthaka gem. He did not accept the request of Krishna.

Why does God give so much wealth to some people? The only purpose of God giving too much of wealth to some people is so that wealthy people can share it with people who do not have any wealth, thereby they will earn merit. The one who was poor today was rich some other day. But, when this poor man was rich, in some other life, he had not shared his wealth with poor people in those times and thus is poor now. Our future depends on what we do today. However your thoughts are the same way your future will be shaped. Satrjit, because of his selfishness, did not pay heed to Krishna's words. Satrajit had a younger brother called Prasenjit. One day Prasenjit took the Shamanthaka gem, put it around his neck, and went hunting in the forrest. When he was fighting with a lion, in the forrest, it killed him and took the gem. When Satrajit realised that Prasenjit was not returning he got a doubt in his mind. That was on the 4th day of the new moon (in a particular month). On this 4th day of the new moon, when Krishna was partaking of some pudding, he saw the reflection of the moon in the cup. We also know that if we look at the moon, on the 4th day of this particular month, it will bring a person advertsity. Krishna did not do Ganesha pooja, on that day, and had to face many difficulties. Satrajit starting accusing Krishna, "You have killed my brother Prasenajit and stolen the gem." Krishna, in order to remove the stain of that accusation, went to the forrest in search of this gem. He saw Prasenajits corpse and that the gem was missing. He saw the footsteps of a lion and followed them. When this lion was carrying the gem he came across a bear. There was a fight between the two. This bear was none other than Jambavan and he took away the gem from the lion. Krishna went into the cave where Jambavan lived and fought with him and got back the gem. Jambavan was a very powerful warrior and recognised that Krishna was none other than Rama, come in the form as Krishna. He was very happy and offered his daughter Jambavathi in marriage. Krishna came back with Jambavathi and also the gem. When Krishna offered the gem to Satrajit, Satrajit was also very happy and offered his daughter Sathyabhama to Krishna. That is the story of Shamanthakamani.

What is the use of listening to this story? It is very important to understand the inner meaning of this story. If you win the Grace and blessings of God you will not face any difficulties. On this Birthday of Ganesha, worship Him and win His Grace. He is the first to be worshipped any where. Offering worship to Ganesha is very meritorious. Do not just worshp Ganesha today and then forget Him. That is not right. All the time you should be remembering God. If you keep on thinking of God all the time you will not face any difficulties. Because we forget God frequently we have to face many difficulties. Any difficulty that we encounter is a reminder to think of God. It is not out of anger or that He is punishing us. Think of God at all times and all places. Then we will not be subjected to any kind of misery or difficulty. Children generally like Ganesha very much, especially at examination time making Ganesha do overtime work. All students will go to Ganapathy and pray to Him to give them good marks and intelligence. If you put in your effort and think of Ganesha every day you will not lack anything. There are so many stories like about Ganapathy. Study His stories and enjoy those stories.... very Happy.

Bhagawan is seated here in an ochre robe, and very happy to see all of you here.All our thoughts, all our feelings, they stay, stored in this Akasha, that is the entire universe around us. Any thoughts, good or bad, goes and gets stored in this Akasha space. It is an invisible store house, where all our thoughts get stored. Everything that we think, either it is positive or negative. Positive is that which makes things purer. Negative is that which makes things impure.

All that is love, all that is Divine, and said, "This is positive". In this place, many have stayed, many have visited, many have done many things. But by Namasmarana, the sound which emanates out of space. Space is full of vibrations. So, sound vibrations are being produced, which are positive. It purifies the unseen space. Then, from the sound of Namasmarana, that the purification happens. Then we come to vayu. That is prana vayu. You all, as you breathe here, and breathe out God, you purify the air, in this place. You cannot see or know it's God, if you're not breathing. It's the air that consists of the vibration that produces the right sound. Therefore by breathing in that sacred atmosphere, murmuring "I Am That, I Am That", teaches us "Soham, Soham", we purify the air in this place.

Agni. What is this Agni? Agni is not only that which is the form of the land that is outside, but it's the energy that we use to engage ourselves in this Namasmarana. That is considered as fire. There are five kinds of fire which are there, inside everyone. It's called pancha pranas. Dhana, Vyana, Apana, Udhana, Samana. All these are five kinds of fires that are inside ourselves. We use all this and use the energy to do this Namasmarana, we're purifying the agni aspect of this place that is the fire aspect or energy aspect.

The body is made of water. We're 70% water. Just like the earth is in this water. This water is also found in the tears of joy, that flow out of our eyes. This joy, or tears of joy or tears of devotion, purify the water in this place. And the final is the earth or the bumi, the gross aspect. That is what we've been doing whole day. That part has already been done. But beyond that, the subtlest aspects of a new place, and that also needs to be purified, before we make it our residence.

Wherever the glory of God is sung, this purity emanates there. This purity leads to Divinity. Therefore when we put all these pancha pranas, pancha koshas, pancha indriyas together in unity, and sing the name of the Lord with all the purity of our hearts, then Divinity manifests. It does not come from anywhere. The Divinity that is already present here, It manifests Itself in a particular way.

People who worship the Lord as Jesus, the Divinity manifests as Jesus. Those who worship Allah, it'll manifest as Allah. Same like those who pray to Buddha, it manifests as Buddha. It is the same sugar mixed with which we can make many kinds of sweets. It is the same water but if sealed in different bottles, it'll take a different colour, shape and size. It's the same God but based on the devotees devotion, It'll manifest in multiple ways.

Srinivas always wonders how this many patients in Raipur hospital, get to know about the hospital. There are Muslims, there are Christians, there are Sikhs, there are Hindus. All kinds of people come to the hospital without any advertisement. How is it possible? It happens because all of them pray to the same God. And whomever they pray to, whichever God they remember, all this reaches the same Divinity. And this Divinity, that Swamy also manifests as, then redirects their prayers to the hospital, and so the children end up in the hospital, for their treatment. All this is connected. Whether it is you may say, the difference between boundaries or the boundaries on earth that form different countries.

Can you draw boundaries in the water? Can you draw it on the air? Can you draw it on the light? You cannot. Can you cut the space into pieces? You cannot. Only that which is gross, the grossest of all, it is earth, leads to such differences. Higher, the hierarchy of things, as it becomes more and more subtle, the differences disappear. All Is One. Space is the same. The space inside, the space outside. The air inside, the air outside. Everything is one and the same. Unity is the most important aspect.

Because you all unitedly put so much of effort, did pray that Bhagavan should visit. And Swamy had received multiple invitations for many, many years, so many times to visit this land especially the times you went through tremendous turmoil. But, then the Minister prayed to Swamy that He should bless so that peace reigns in this place. Now, it is much more peaceful than before. Now bhajan's over, time for bhojan. You all have come from a long distances, you must take some rest. Tomorrow morning after breakfast, we can meet here, and from here, we'll proceed to the hall where there's the public meeting. Is this the program ? (Answer: Yes.)

The whole planet did not pray for the Ganges to manifest. Ganges was flowing right on top, as Akasha vrinda. Akasha, as Swamy explained is ether or space. It does not have any form, shape or any smell or taste or touch. It is a super or subtle space. Akasha vrinda, that is the Ganges, the river that is flowing in the Akasha or interspace, unmanifest. But prayer of Bhagiratha, that is the sage Bhagiratha , brought it down. Brought that Akasha vrinda ....on top of the earth.

Likewise one pure prayer, made from pure heart, which reaches God, can make God manifest everywhere. With all the values, purity of heart, purity of mind. If thoughts are pure, our feelings are pure, then you can see God everywhere. Not in one place, at one time. You work on your purification, then you can feel His Presence everywhere. There is only One God. He's omnipresent.

How can you tell He's Omnipresent? And with the same breath you say that He's here and He's there, He's not here and He's not there. That is all illusion created out of this attachment to the body, which is the grossest of all. This gross body divides, differentiates, creates disunity. As you learn higher truths, as you reach to the subtler spaces, subtler place of the Universe, you'll see unity, the oneness of all creation.

Outside they are putting chairs for the dinner. That is not going to fill your stomach. For the gross body, gross food has to go in. For the subtle body, food is subtle. Love is My form and Bliss is My food. Bliss of that devotee's experience, the joy of that experience, I survive on that. I manifest on that Bliss. Therefore, as long as there's Love in your heart, you experience Bliss, I exist and I eat.

Tomorrow morning, we'll have more time to talk, longer. Today this is good. Let everybody partake ...... Do Arathi."

♥ Om Sri Sai Ram. Swami is seated with us in his throne in an ochre robe. The water bubble originates and lives in Water and eventually the water bubble merges in water. The water bubble is man. And God is the water.

Embodiments of Divine Love. Love is Truth. Truth is love. Love is God . God is love. Man originates in love which is God and merges in God. I am always telling you that God is love. Live in Love. In truth love has no desires of its own. Giving and taking is a kind of attachment. It is a business and is not love. When we give something to someone, if we expect something in return that is attachment. This is not love. Love is perfect and complete. No one can take away from that love. When there is a desire this is not love. Narasimlamurthy says I give to everyone and I do not take anything from anyone. Swami only accepts love. Love is my nature and it is my basis. When you give me a leaf, a fruit, or a drop of water and it is only offered with love, then I accept it. Otherwise I do not accept it. The love between the mother and children is love that is of a certain nature. Love for God by devotees is devotion. I will only accept gifts that have love and no attachment.

Devotees come and want to do service for Swami. When Swami had a body that was bad I needed some things done. But I only used things I needed. But all the time I told the trust to provide comforts for devotees. I told the Trust to provide you with buildings, rooms, canteens, and foods; I never asked anything for myself. Like a mother I was looking at the joy of my devotees. That was my joy. Children naturally ask and want to do something for their mother. When ego and attachment are part of the gift I will not accept it.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was offered many things. Yet, if it wasn't offered purely with love he would not accept it. With a desire to test him a devotee put coins under his bed, to see if he was walking his talk. When Ramakrishna approached his bed to take rest immediately he shouted to Amma, "Why r u giving me this suffering?" The devotees rushed to him to see if anybody was hurting him. He said a mistake has happened and thats why I am suffering. I felt something sting me when I sat on the bed. The devotee who put the coins there took courage and asked for forgiveness and spoke what he did. Being a great sacred soul he couldnt accept gifts without a sacred feeling.

People write long letters when they give something. I just, let them lay there and not use them. I don't have a body therefore, I don't need anything. To instill faith in students I play this drama. We offer food to God. You should think there is God living in the temple. I want to increase your faith and devotion. You have to think God lives in this temple. Your faith will increase and your devotion will increase.

All people who work with me are fearless and have a good reputation. They are selfless. They do nothing for themselves; they only want Baba to be happy. People here offer service free of cost. If they want they could get big jobs and earn big salaries. People here offer services with great sacrifice. People who have not come here cannot understand. People who come and see Swami would never act that way. When people talk ill of Swami and his devotees, what is your responsibility? Should you keep your mouth shut or should you tell them the truth.

If someone criticizes your parents you would stand up for them dharmicly. You should tell them the truth with LOVE! God is the resident of every heart. He will bend only for love. If others speak harsh words, we should speak with courtesy and go with love to them and explain with truth. They say Swami is not here and they talk this way.

God is in the temple. But there is only an idol. Where is the true God? The stone idol does not eat. It is the priest that eats all the food. The stone will not have feelings. We give food because of faith. Where there is faith there is love. Love between the husband and wife exists because of faith. Because you have faith, they love you and you love them in return. When you enter a temple you think the statue is a stone. It is ignorance to think, that the stone talks to you. But God hears all you do. Therefore, whatever anyone speaks God hears. Offer all you do with love and I will accept it.

Swami gave an example. Once in Brindavan a girl was making cow dung cake. This girl would mix it and put it on the wall. She would offer it to Krishna. There was a Krishna temple and cow dung would stick to the Krishna in the temple. The priest saw this and was mad. Every day you stick cow dung to the face of Krishna. The girl was ignorant and didn't know how this was happening. The priest beat up the girl and said it was a disgrace to God of what she was doing. She still did her offering. The Priest thought the punishment to the girl was enough and returned to the temple. When he got there he saw that the hand of the statue was broken, that Krishna was bleeding. He realized his mistake that he had only worship been doing ritual worship to God, but not with such devotion. She did what she did with love and Krishna accepted it. The priest went to the girl and fell at her feet and apologized. Krishna manifested himself and said I created this to teach you a lesson. You are full of ego from education in scriptures. Pride I not like. You have studied scriptures without love. You offer with love and I will accept anything.

I tell you this because devotees come here thinking they will do service, that is a mistake. Whoever you love that love comes to me! If you make fun of someone, or something that comes to me also. Everything is the embodiment of God, everything comes to me. If you ridicule others it comes to me. All is an embodiment of God. Giving and forgetting is Divine. Getting and forgetting is human. You are bubbles of love and merge in Love. You have to cultivate selfless love and give up attachment. In the coming times, streams of people will come here. What happened in Puttaparthi over the last 50 years will happen here in five years. You will find no space here. Only those with pure love will enjoy this.

♥ PART 2: EVENING. This lecture was given by Swami during the 15th Annual Convention of the Children for Sathya Sai Alumnai meet

Om Sri Sai Ram. As we pray to The Divine for His message, Swami is seated here in an ochre robe. I repeat as He speaks.

The Lord is the Infinite One and the Eternal One. He is One without Birth and Death. He has no beginning nor an end. He is never born and He never dies. He lives in everyone as Atma. Embodiments of Divine Atma!

There is only One Atma that pervades every living being. The Eternal Lord, He himself, becomes the individual soul in everybody and behaves in a human way. Out of love and affection for mankind He comes down to the human level. He lives with them and works for them. In truth Sri Rama, Buddha, Jesus, and Krishna are all Divine Incarnations. If you were an ordinary human being why would I address you as a Divine Being? My path is Truth. My path is Righteousness. The word of Sai is the Eternal Truth. When I address you as the Embodiments of the Divine Atma it is my view that you are manifesting your Divinity through the body. Therefore, All of you are Divine Incarnations and you are not just men and women.

Because of your ego, attachment, greed, infatuations and pride you behave like human beings and cannot see your Atma. When you light a lamp you can see the light, the flame burning there. When you put a glass cover over the flame, because of the lamps soot you cannot see the flame. Though the lamp is burning you think you are in the dark. When you clean up the black soot, on the glass, then you can easily see the flame burning. Though the flame of the atma is ever burning, the glass cover of the body consciousness, over the flame of the atma, stops us from recognising it. Since we believe that this body made up of the 5 elements is the Ultimate Truth, we are in ingnorance, we are in the darkness, we can't understand our own Divine Atma.

At such times the teachings of a Divine Master is very important. Only when you understand the lesson properly and then practice it, implement the teachings in your life, then you can understand the Divine Truth and cross over this Samsara. But in todays world we dont have such type of Masters or disciples. In the same way as a blind man leads another blind person ignorant gurus are leading ignorant disciples. What is a True Guru? A true Guru is one who has realised the Atma and experiences his own Atma.

The Guru is one who removes the darkness of ignorance and lights up this flame of Jnana, wisdom of the Atma. The one who leads us away from the darkness of body consciousness to the light of Divine Consciousness is the master. Today in educational institutions there is no sense of spirituality. They are only teaching about science and knowledge not about wisdom. They are only teaching them material education not spiritual education. Therefore the students are immersed in body consciousness and they have never understood the wisdom of the Atma - they are leading their lives in darkness. Because of such ignorant masters and ignorant disciples you find all kinds of trials, tribulations, adversities and disasters happening in the world.

In our institutions education is not given, educare is given. Education only teaches us about external things. Educare is that which brings us face to face with the inner truth. It draws out the wisdom that is inside the students and teachers. True education is Atma Vidya, spiritual education, therefore one should be taught to recognise the inherent Divinity.

Narasimlamurthy keeps saying that he is going around building educational institutions and campuses but this is a mistake. Our institutions are not educational campuses they are educare campuses which grant spiritual education with material education. They are spiritual educational institutions. We are building such great institutions. You all should take part in these institutions and find fulfillment in them. Our work should be done by our children. If something goes wrong with our family and our house we have to set it right - not the neighbours. Our family is growing. It will be transformed into a worldwide movement. This is Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man. True Atma vidya is spiritual education. We should broaden our horizons and ultimately consider the whole world as our family.

For whose sake are we doing this? If a child is hungry the mother undertakes cooking with all difficulties. Why is she doing that? Is she doing that for the child? Is she doing that to remove the hunger of the child? Maybe that is true. But more than that the mother does this to remove her own suffering and sorrow. When the mother looks at her child being hungry she cant sit quiet all alone. Her Love gets transformed into service and gives the child good food.

When I built the Sathya Sai University earlier alot of people came to give me good advice. What was this advice? They gave me bad advice telling me Swami already we have so much of work, why do you want to build this University and take the burden on yourself? If I had listened to these people then what would have happened to all of you? Now, you are also questioning what is the need for Swami to build all the educational Institutions at this great pace? Why is Swami attempting to give health care to all the people, establishing more hospitals? When we built the Raipur Hospital I told Srinivas that we have to start the hospital within a year. The place Raipur is full of alot of hardships and difficulties. It is not as easy to build as in Bangalore. With great effort and difficulties Srinivas did quite alot of things but finally he came and told me that wthin one year no surgery is possible. If your child had to undergo this surgery and the surgeon comes and tells you that he is not going to perform the surgery would you accept this? You have to think that other children are also yours. When you have so much concern for your own child you should have concern for other children too whatever the difficulty maybe - you have to do this. He understood Swami's pain and he arranged an emergency operation theatre, intensive care unit and all other facilities. At that time it was one operation theatre, now it is three operation theatres and in the future there will be five operation theatres.

The health care that we are providing in Raipur is so very essential that within 2 years we have performed more then 1000 surgeries. Our hospital has safe guarded and protected the lives of 1400 children. Suppose I had listened to the advice of Srinivas and had allowed him to build the hospital in three or four years. What would happen to these children? Many hospitals are started and it usually takes seven years to complete and some are started and never finished. When I thought of building the girls school I told Narasimlamurthy we should complete all facilities within 6 months, admit children and give them all good education. Within one year we are building computer labs, dining hall, kitchen and all that is required for the children. If you go to this school and see what is happening there you will see how difficult it is to build an institution there. In a deserted village such a glorious and majestic building has been built. If the determination was not there to build this school could a boy be able to come from there now and talk on this stage? If we had not built the school, at that time, what would have happened to the future of this boy? Nobody can say. He would have fallen into bad company and spoilt his whole life. Therefore, whatever we undertake there should be a time frame that we target ourselves. Suppose we say that you would get your dinner at midnight. Would you accept this? We will be feeling hungry at 8pm and suffer as food is not given to us. I have the hunger to give this type of educare and this type of healthcare. It is my will that such a thing happen within a time frame. Can we bare our own children suffering without getting admission to this kind of school or getting good health care? To the extent possible we have to stretch ourselves. Because my children are not yet ready I am going at a very slow pace. If you get ready I will go very fast. Enthusiasm, sense of adventure, strength, courage, intelligence and bravery - when all 6 qualities manifest themselves then comes the help of God. With your effort and my Grace, when these get together all these things can be achieved.

Where there is God there is victory and glory. I am always ready. Bhaktas are not getting ready. I have to keep teaching the Gita again and again. When all of us get together Unitedly, together we can do many things.

Even like Hanuman, who was not aware of His own strength and was hesitant to pass over the ocean, you don't know your Divinity. In early times if you wanted to tie down an elephant there was a chain. Sai Gita, when she was young, was tied with a chain. At that time the chain was stronger than the elephant. The elephant grew up. The chain stayed the same. But because of her past programming about the chain, Gita didn't break the chain. She believed that the chain could not be broken. Similarly you identify yourselves with the bodies - you don't know your real strength. You are therefore confining yourselves. You are not the embodiment of the body, you are the embodiment of the Divine! You have already the six qualities such as valour, adventure, courage etc. Put them to good use. To the extent that you realise your own strength you will be able to participate in the service activities. Get out of the darkness of body consciousness and get the Light of the Divine Consciousness. See to it that you work for the World's Welfare.

Children of Immortality, you are the children of Immortality! Your conduct should match the name. If you are born as a tiger cub and behave like a kitten it is not correct. You are cubs of a tiger! You are the embodiments of the Divine! Lead your lives with that kind of courage. You do my work and I will do your work. If you do my work with complete faith all things pertaining to your welfare I will look after. Every moment I will confer on you what is good for you. Develop that kind of Belief and Faith! Those who believe are like jewels. Those who do not believe are like dust. As Yogeswara I am always ready. You should also become a Partha with a bow and take part in this war of Dharma.

All of you have discussed, for a long time, how to carry forward this mission and have come up with some conclusions. With one finger we can not lift a handkerchief. When five fingers get together you can achieve great things. Today I have the courage because all the 5 campuses have come together. In one year you will see the transformation take place. Since last year we have had the Children of Sathya Sai meet. Alot of things have happened. From this year to the next year things will happen that you won't be able to imagine.

My girls, they work, do more than my boys! Because of their Shradah, sense of purpose. Woman with sincerity of purpose will attain everything. I have faith in my girl students. Dont think I am arranging competition you should do it in co-operation. I don't like competition. Everybody belongs to me. All of you should work unitedly as brother and sisters.

♥ PART 1: MIDDAY. This lecture was given by Swami during the 15th Annual Convention of the Children for Sathya Sai Alumnai meet

Om Sri Sai Ram! We pray for Swami's Divine speech. Swami is seated in the chair in an ochre robe. I repeat as He speaks.

If you lose money you can get it back. If you lose your friend you can get him/her back. If you lose your wife/husband you can get her/him back. If you lose the body you can't get it back.

Embodiments of love! Students boys and girls! This body is the basis for all noble activity. This body is given us to serve others. It is a Temple of God and the individual who resides inside is none other than God. Scriptures say only through the body can you attain the Ultimate. The scriptures also say amongst all species of life human birth is most precious. The body is not given to us to immerse ourselves in all kinds of sensual pleasures. Sensual pleasures will get you all kinds of misery. The body is gifted to us to do service and help others. Because all of you are My children whatever is in my heart I want to speak with you frankly. The body is common for both animals and human beings. But discrimination and detachment are possible only for humans. The lack of discrimination and detachment make man and woman equal to an animal.

You all are well educated, doing well, have good homes and look after your families. What is required? To think of my wife and my children as only my family is wrong thinking. This thinking makes you less than human. Be broadminded. The whole world should be thought as your family. This has been said by your elders too. I need not repeat the same things again and again. There is only one thing that I want to tell you. Why have you all come here? You think darshan of Swami is what you want! You think you want to get the blessings of your elders! You think you come here in order to see old friends and to talk to them! All these are your imaginations and not the Truth. All of you are here because I have called each and every one of you to this place. If I do not call you nobody can put a foot on this land. You may think that an invitation was sent to you and therefore you are here. No No I may have sent an external invitation but the real reason you are here is because I have called each and every one of you from inside your heart. I am the permanent resident of your heart - SAI.

In the word Hrudaya there are 2 syllables "Hru" and "Daya". Heart is that which is filled with compassion. When there is compassion there is God. In those hearts that are filled with compassion God lives there and it is that God that has called you here. Even if all people want to come here it is not possible. Only those whom I call can come here others cannot step into this place. Maybe other people give you external invitations but I call you from within your heart because of my heart to heart love relationship with you. You are all fortunate because you have heard the inner call of the Divine from within your hearts. Take the opportunity and find fullfillment.

Many children are leading a life without education and they are suffering. Because there is no blood relationship with them you feel no connection. You thus do not feel their suffering. If one child is suffering from an illness the parents immediately are concerned and pray to God. When a child says to its mother I have a stomach ache the mother feels the pain and may even take it on. The relationship between me and my students is not blood relationship but love relationship. Blood relationships lasts only as long as there is blood in the body. The true relationship is the relationship of love. It is an inseparatable relationship between you and me. The kind of love you have for me I also have this kind of love for each and everyone of you. Not only yourselves but everybody in the world I feel they are mine. It is my pledge that I have to remove the suffering from everybody in this world. If anybody is suffering I experience their suffering myself therefore I cant stop before relieving them of that suffering. I am ready to do this at any extent.

To tell that my mission is to build hospitals and institutions is only narrow minded outlook. My true mission is transformation of your hearts. Transformation does not happen by mere lip service. Only when you use your hands to serve then transformation will take place. When you use your hands for service only then the heart gets transformed. There is no doubt that all our students are have golden hearts filled with compassion. But that compassion needs to flow from your hands. Our responsibility is to see everyone as our brothers and sisters and give them whatever they need.

We should discharge our responsibilities knowing fully well that we need to take care of everything of my brothers/sisters. Suppose we start with only one child then later our broadmindedness can grow. If you dont start at all the journey will never ever start. If you take one step the journey happens. By taking this one step I will take 100 steps toward you. You should all get together, unitedly, and work to serve others, creating joy for all.

Without responsibilities you have not rights. You are declaring yourselves as Swami's students that is your right. But the reflection of the right is the duty, the responsibility. If you dont discharge your responsibility only seeking privileges is not right. It is not that I am telling or asking you, I am commanding you to do this. I belong to you and you to me. This soul relationship is always there. As a father I am commanding all of you, that because you are my children, you must all look after the children in the world.

To live in the confinement of "I" and "mine" is a kind of animality. Humanity needs to develop the feeling of "We" and "Ours". Just because you have a body does not make you a human being. Only for sight you are a human being but inside there is a demon. Selfishness and self interest make a man a demon. Only when we give up selfishness and become selfless do we graduate from humanity to Divinity. Obtaining human birth is a good fortune. You should not think I am the body and struggle for body pleasures. Through the body we can do noble acts and reach Divinity. Bend the body, Do service. Mend the mind, Mend the senses. Control the body and the senses. End the rule of the mind. Give up self-interest and selfishness. Lead your lives in such a way to give joy to others and ultimately receive the grace of God.

Many of you have good jobs and good families. But many of my children in our institutions are from poor families. The students' hearts melt when they see how Swami is working for them. Swami gave an example. The example was given to show what type of feelings His boys have in His school. There is this 9th class boy who is not earning any money. With the little money he was earning from his parents he put it aside and offered it to Swami. This boy had to attend painting classes during his vaction. He didnt want to waste money so he decided to change buses to conserve money. He wrote to Swami saying that it was not big money, that he has saved on his expenses, but he has gathered it together to offer at His feet so that another child may benefit and receive an education like he is. This boy keeps sending to Swami 20 rupees, 50 rupees however much he saves. He kept all that money in his cupboard not spending a single paisa. I am going to call that boy not because I want to praise him but I want to demonstrate the kind of feelings that my boys have. This kind of selflessness and pure love is possible for children and not possible for the polluted hearts of the elders. The letter was read out.

"Dear Mother Sai. Pranams at thy Lotus Feet. You have provided everything in my life. I offer this small gift at Your Feet. I request you to provide love to poor children in the form of Educare so that another brother or sister can have the opportunity to be with you. Thank you Swami. Your Son ..... "

If a boy in 9th class has this kind of mind what should your minds be thinking. Our job is to support children like this in our educational institutions. I am looking after all the expenses of the childen. Before the school was collecting some fees. I told them not to collect fees. If you do then you cannot call it Sathya Sai School. Our schools are value based free education to children. Presently we have 5000 children; in the future there will be 25,000 students. The responsibility of building and creating the infrastructure is Swami's. But the running of them is your job.

It is narrow minded thinking to create an Anantapur, Prashanthi, Brindavan or an Alike alumnai organization. Today they have all come together under one organisation called The Children for Sathya Sai. Today onwards you have to get united and make the name Children for Sathya Sai find its fullfillment. The organization must have humility, truth and integrity. Blessing and my grace for each of you! I am very happy.

The Child of Supreme Bliss has come back today as the son Nanda in order to play with His old play mates. That Rama Chandra has come back today without any incumberances in order to recognise His old servants. That Iswara has come back as Bala Sai in order to play with His play mates. That Maha Vishnu has come back on Earth to wield His ancient weapons. The Lord of Parthi has come back today as Parameswara, the Lord of this village, in order to bless His devotees and His children.

Embodiments of Divine Love Devotees, students, boys and girls. The vedic scriptures in India has said that the Leelas of Vishnu are very very strange and beyond description. The formless God comes down in human form in order to give joy and delight to His devotees and also stages many fascinting dramas. Whether it be Rama, Krishna or Sai Avatar it is the same Divine entity that comes down in different forms. Depending on this Truth I address you as Embodiments of Divine Love, Embodiments of Divine Atma. All of you are in fact Divine incarnations. The only difference is I know it but you do not know it. Only on the day when you understand and realise your inherent Divinity that you will be able to understand this Avatar and fill your heart with great Bliss. One who knows God becomes God. Nobody can understand God through lectures and scriptures. You may have very delicious food before you and keep chanting the name of these various delicacies in front of you or just keep thinking of them but your hunger will not be satisfied. There may be very many lectures on Krishna, on this day, yet if you do not understand the underlying truth then they are all mere stories. By merely chanting "Chapatti, Chapatti, Chapatti" your stomach will not be filled. Only when you take up a little food, chew it and digest it, then your hunger will cease. If you just celebrate the festivals as only a festival then this will be of no use. Only when we understand and realise the inner significance of the teaching then definitely we will find fullfillment in our lives.

The word Krishna has many kinds of meanings. In a very ordinary way we can think that Krishna was black in colour (Swami corrected Murthy Sir) ... "Not Black, Dark". Therefore He was called Krishna. There are many people who are dark in colour, if we call them Krishnas will they become Krishna ? These days there are many people with the names Govinda, Krishna, Madhava. Just by having those names will they become Divine entities? On a vessel containing sugar you write salt. Will the sugar turn into salt? Krishnas name was not based on His body.

There is an inner meaning for the word Krishna which all students should understand properly. The One who Cultivates, One who tills is Krishna. What is this agriculture of Krishna? In the villages you find many crops that are being grown in the field. The Bhagavad Gita says that your Hrudaya is the field. If you want to grow good crops in your heart first you have to till it and then remove all the weeds and put only goods seeds for a good crop. In the field of the heart you have to sow the seed of the name of God and get the flowers, the blossoms of love, and the fruits of Bliss. We have to remove the evil traits of desire, anger, greed, pride, infatuation and jealousy and give up the feelings of "I" and "Mine" and sow the seeds of love.

Today mans heart has become as desert. Because there is no love in the heart they have become deserts. That is why both the cowherds and gopikas went on praying to Lord Krishna,"In the Loveless desert of the heart you sow the seeds of love, with the emotion of love, when there is nectarine grain of Love and they flow as rivers, Oh Lord please sing your song of Love." The sense of the prayer was to get rid of their desert like hearts with the Love of Krishna and thereby grow the fruits of Grace. It is not good enough to love only Krishna. When they sung songs of Krishna they called Him the "Indweller". If you look for Him outside yourself you wont find Him. Because of the great attraction to Krishna devotees gave up everything.

The second meaning of Krishna is "that which attracts you" is Krishna. There is a magnetic power of Love in Krishna. Because of that Love, this attraction, devotees are attracted. When you keep a magnet near an iron piece there is an attraction between the two. The magnet attracts the iron to itself. But if there is rust and dust covering the iron they will not be attracted. When you have ego and attachment in your heart this attraction of Love can not take place. People go to many temples and churches but there is no attraction because of their ego and attachment. To say that God does not exist is a big mistake. Both outside and inside Narayana is installed. God is there in EVERY atom. If there is no attraction for you there is no mistake in God, the mistake is in you, because you are filled with "I" and "Mine". You revel in ego and attachment and say that God has no attraction power. Where does rust and dust come from? Having rust and dust occurs because of bad company. When water gets into the company with the air on the iron there is rust. Because of the rust there is no attraction. For people in good company this attraction happens automatically. The Gopikas with their tender hearts were attracted to Krishna whereas the emperor Kamsa with his hard heart was not attracted to Krishna. Krishna is one and the same. But if they see lots of perversions that is because ego and attachment. One who attracts is Krishna. Only when you get rid of your ego and attachment then you can understand the inner significance of the inner truth of Krishna and experience Him.

One who gives Joy and Bliss is Krishna. And if Radha chanted the name of Krishna only once every cell of her body was filled with delight and joy. Those days, as all of you know, there were no light bulbs or fans. They would light the flames in their lamps and that is how they had light in their homes. Because they had no match boxes, to light the flames, every housholder went to the house of Nanda where there was a light lit eternally. The peoples lamps were lit from Nandas lamp. Their belief was that if they light the lamps of their homes from the house of Krishna then they would also light the lamps in their hearts. Therefore they would go to Krishnas fathers house, Nanda, and take the light. One day a Gopika also went to the house of Nanda. She had the flame in her hand. There was a wick in the lamp. Only when the wick was placed in the flame would the wick light up. That Gopika saw Krishna coming. She was filled with so much Bliss that she lost her physical consciousness. Instead of putting the wick in the flame she put her finger in the flame. The finger was completely burned but she did not feel any pain. Yahoda saw all of this and came running and remarked "What is that you are doing here? Instead of putting the wick in the flame you are putting your finger! Are you aware of that ?" The Bliss of Krishna is such that she got rid of her body consciousness and developed Divine consciouness. In the same way as a man who has fever anything sweet will taste bitter for him. In the same way man filled with worldliness will not enjoy Divine Joy. But the hearts of Gopikas were sacred and pure and because of this they could easily attain Divine Bliss. Krishna was everything for them. Only people who develop that kind of love and devotion will get Bliss not otherwise.

In order to understand the inner significance of the Divine Krishna principle, or the Divine Bliss and Divine Love, you first have to get rid of ego and attachment. We are confining our lives to the limits of "I" and "Mine". The Krishna principle is to grow from "I" and "Mine" to "We" and "Ours". If you really want to celebrate Krishna's Bday it is not good enough that you just do Bhajans and listen to lectures. You can definitely do all of that. It is only all a kind of theory and not practical knowledge. If you really want to understand the Krishna Principle you have to practice the real teachings of Krishna in your lives. Practice Krishna's teachings "Love All Serve All". You have to Love All Serve All. Krishna is there in everyone. Krishna is not only outside you He is inside you. We have to worship that Krishna that is present in everyone. If we have to believe that Krishna is in everybody then we have to Love Every Body and Serve Every Body and only then can we celebrate Krishnas birthday with fullfillment.

I also want to give you good news on this occassion. For Krishna the cows were very dear to Him. Even in our Gokulum here we have cows. These cows very selflessly give us nutritious milk. But today the building that is there is collapsing. This building was built a long long time ago and one boy had prayed to me, "Swami you are doing so much for everybody, even for these animals you have to do something." He also wrote, "We have to build a very good building for these cows and provide a delightful ambience for them." In the letter he also enclosed 20 rupees which he had saved. Is it possible to build a cow shed with 20 rupees? For me money is not required. Because of this Love now I have willed that we are going to buid a very beautiful cow shed and name it Brindavan. A devotee from Dubai will come and plan the drawings in a hexagon shape and in the centre of this building there will be an idol of Krishna with a cow.

I dont want anything from my students. If they feel that others sufferings are theirs and they want to remove them that is all I want from them. If they just pray I will do everything for them. Today human hearts have become deserts, they are bereft of love. They dont even think that they have to pray for others. But our students are not like that, they are Gold ! Looking at the hardships of the cows this student felt for them, their suffering, and prayed for them for Swami to build them a new building. You can understand how pure and sacred his heart is. I am telling Narasimlamurthy to prepare plans immediately for this new cow shed.

Cow is our Mother. Cow is not just an animal it is a mother because it gives us milk so selflessly with love. The cow needs all kinds of things like grass but finally gives this pure, white milk. It does not give us its hardships and difficulties. It is not only for its own children but also gives the human children all the milk they require. It is for helping others the cows yield milk. This body is given to us to help others. Therefore all of us must not just pray selflessly but match these prays with our actions.

Tomorrow all my old students, not "Old" students but "Gold" students, are coming here tomorrow morning from 8 campuses. I am telling you all this with great joy because I have such good children. When the father is aged and retired he depends on His children. If he has just 2 children whatever he has built up he will hand it over to his children and he will be happy. I have any number of 1000's children how courageous I should be. I am going to tell them, tomorrow, that because this courage, together, I want you to build new educational institutions for more and more number of children. Building of the infrastructure is my responsibility. But the maintaining of it is your responsibility. The senior students and alumai of 5 campuses - Prashanthi Nilayam, Anantapur, Brindavan, Muddenahalli and Alike are the 5 fingers of 1 hand. When the 5 fingers of this hand get together they can do so much work. Because many of you will not be able to participate in this alumai meet, tomorrow, I am telling you this today. All my children are not just my students studying in my institutions, anybody who practices Swami's teachings are my children. Therefore, today you should resolve to work selflessly like what Krishna did and find fullfillment in your lives.